Arththi prabandham – 44

Introduction

mAmunigaL said, “indha ulagail porundhAmai Edhumillai andha ulagil pOga Asaiyillai” in the previous pAsuram. This means that mAmunigaL says he does not have the lack of interest to continue living in this world nor does he have the desire to go to paramapadham. After saying this, he looked at other people in this world and observed their actions. He realizes the causes for these people to accrue sins incessantly. This is what is described in this pAsuram.

pAsuram 44

nAraNanAr – omniscient and omnipotent SrIman nArAyaNan,
mAkAntha – who is the consort of lakshmi
vaigum vagai – the manner in which HE manifests Himself inside and outside of each and every sentient and non-sentient things in this universe (this meaning is impregnated in the name nArAyaNan)
aRindhOrkku – those who know and understand it
EkAntham illai – there is no solitude
iruL illai – there is no darkness either.
mOkAnthar – As described in the phrase “mOhAntha thamasAsvruththa:”, those people who are blinded by worldly stuff. They do not see anything and would think that
ivvidam EkAntham iruL enRu – this place is an isolated place for there is no one
bhayam aRRu irundhu – they will be fearless and
seyvargaL thAm – and out of their ignorance, would continue to commit
pAvaththiRam – more and more sins

Simple Translation

In this pAsuram, mAmunigal delineates the difference between two types of people. The first group of people see a bright SrIman nArAyaNan everywhere. Hence they never have a time when they think they are alone as they see HIS presence everywhere. They also do not see darkness as HE is full of light. On the other end of the spectrum, there is a lot of people who are not able to see this and and think that they are alone in darkness. This makes them commit innumerable sins that is the cause for their downfall.

Explanation

nammAzhvAr used the name “selva nAraNan” in his thiruvAimozhi (1.10.8)”. HE is the divine consort of periyapirAtti srImahAlakshmi. HE manifests inside and outside of each and every sentient and non sentient beings. This is what is conveyed as the essence of the name “nArAyaNan”. There are some people who realize this omnipresent nature of SrIman nArAyaNan. These people see HIM everywhere, glowing with striking resplendence as seen in the phrases “nArAyaNa paranjOthi: (nArAyaNa sUktham 4)”, “pagal kaNdEn nAraNanaikkaNdEn(iraNdAm thiruvandhAdhi 81)”, “avan ennuL iruL thAn aRa vIRRirundhAn (thiruvAimozhi 8.7.3)”. They do not see solitude and darkness ever. They are never alone and are in constant company of peers. Since they are not alone, they do not have any fear whatsoever. They never see darkness anywhere as they say “hruthi nArAyaNam paSyanApya kachchathrahasthA yassvathAradhauchApi gOvindham tham upAsmahE (vishNu purANam)”

On the contrary, there are other group of people who are labelled as “mOhAnthakas”. As characterized by the phrase“mOhAntha thamasA vruththA:”, these people do not have the ability or capacity to see what lays ahead of them due to their perceived darkness. As described by “anthar bahis sakala vasthushu santhamIsam andha: purassthithamIvahamavIkshamANa: (yathirAja vimshathi 12)”, SrIman nArAyaNan is shining forever everywhere while manifesting equally inside and outside of every sentient and non sentient beings. People who does not see HIM with their inner eyes, they perceive something quite contrary. They see that a particular place as a place where no one is present and is a place where only darkness dwells. This triggers their fearlessness that makes them do innumerable sins as described by the phrase “thasyAnthi kEthvam vrajinam karOshi”. mAmunigaL realizes that this is the state of these kind of people who does not see SrIman nArAyaNan.